Cargo supporting structures for bulk containers, trailers and the like



Aug. 17, 1965 A. R. GRIPE 3,200,549

CARGO SUPPORTING STRUCTURES FOR BULK CONTAINERS, TRAILERS AND THE LIKEFiled May 22, 1962 F GG H|s ATTORNEYS United States Patent O 3,2%,549CARG SUPIRTING STRUCTURES FR BULK CNTAINERS, TRAILERS AND THE LiKE AlanR. Cripe, Chesteriieid County, Va., assignor to Reynolds Metals Company,Richmond, Va., a corporation of Delaware Filed May 22, 1962, Ser. No.196,757 1 Claim. (Cl. 52-376) This invention relates to an improvedsupporting structure and to improved parts for such a structure or thelike.

The supporting structure of this invention is readily adaptable to beutilized as a cargo supporting floor construction for relatively largebulk containers, truck or car trailers, freight railroad cars, and thelike.

The supporting construction of this invention comprises a plurality ofmetallic members, such as aluminum-containing metallic members or thelike, and a plurality of wooden members so constructed and arranged thatthe wooden members separate the metallic members to provide a floorconstruction and the like in a relatively simple and effective manner.

The composite floor construction of this invention is less expensivethan in all metallic floor construction and the use of the woodenmembers between the metallic members provides greater insulation than inan all metallic floor.

Further, the use of the wooden members in the floor construction makesit easier to drive nails through cargo arresting blocks or the like intothe floor construction to secure cargo in place thereon and to lessenthe dunnage problem.

The metallic members of this invention can be simply formed bywell-known extrusion operations and can be secured to the wooden membersin a non-time consuming manner whereby the overall cost of thesupporting construction of this invention is relatively low.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improvedsupporting structure having one r more of the novel features set forthabove and hereinafter shown or described.

Another object of this -invention is to provide an improved part forsuch a supporting construction or the ike.

Other objects, uses and advantages of this invention are apparent from areading of this description which proceeds with reference to theaccompanying drawings forming a part thereof and wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary, cross-sectional view of one embodiment of thefloor construction of this invention.

FIGURE 2 is a schematic, perspective view illustrating the method offorming the metallic members of the supporting construction of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a view similar to FIGURE 1 illustrating another supportingstructure of this invention.

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURE 2 illustrating the method of makingthe metallic members of the supporting structure of FIGURE 3.

FIGURES 5-7 are respectively, fragmentary, crosssectional viewsillustrating the method of assembling Y the embodiments illustrated inthe drawings, because the drawings are merely utilized to illustrate oneof the wide variety of uses of this invention.

Referring now to FIGURE l, one embodiment of the supporting structure ofthis invention is generally indicated by the reference numeral 10 andcomprises a plurality of spaced metallic members 11 interconnected to aplurality of wooden members 12 in a manner hereinafter described todefine a cargo supporting surface 13, the supporting structure or floorconstruction 10 being secured to a sub-door or frame means 14 of atrailer or the like.

For example, the sub-floor or frame means 14 of the trailer or the likecan comprise a plurality of longitudinally disposed and spaced framingmembers 15 adapted to receive the lower surface 16 of the supportingstructure 10 and provide access to the spacing between adjacent metallicmembers 11 by the spacing between adjacent frame members 15.

While the members 11 of this 4invention can be formed of any suitablematerial and in any suitable manner, the embodiment of the members 11illustrated in the drawings are formed by extruding metallic material,such as aluminum-containing metallic material or the like byconventional extruding apparatus 17 as illustrated in FIGURE 2.

Each metallic member 11 has an inverted, substantially U-shapedcross-sectional configuration as illustrated in FIGURE 2 and defined byan upper flat cross member 18 having a pair of legs 19 depending fromthe opposed ends thereof.

Each leg 19 of each metallic member 11 has a flat shelf portion 20extending outwardly therefrom and disposed intermediate the ends 21 and22 thereof.

A supporting flange 23 is integrally interconnected to the free end 22of each leg 19 and is preferably extending toward the iiange 23 of theother leg 19 of the respective metallic member 11.

However, it is to be understood that the supporting flanges 23 couldextend outwardly from the legs 19 in the same manner as the Ashelfportions 20 thereof, if desired.

The metallic members 11 are adapted to be cut to the desired lengthsfrom the stock extruded by the apparatus 17 and are adapted to be placedon the sub-floor 14 in the spaced relation illustrated in FIGURE 1, themetallic members 11 being adapted to be secured to the supportingstructure 14in any suitable manner.

For example, the metallic members 11 can be secured to the frame members15 by a plurality of bolt means 24 passing respectively through theframing members 15 and the mounting flanges 23 of the metallic members11.

The assembled metallic members 11 are so spaced relative t0 each otherthat the same define outwardly upwardly facing channels 25 therebetweenand defined in par-t by adiacent shelf portions 20 of adjacent metallicmembers 11.

The size of the channels 25 are so controlled that the same are adaptedto fully receive the wooden members 12 in the manner illustrated inFIGURE l. For example, the wooden members 12 can comprise conventional 2inch by 4 inch boards or the like.

The shelf portions 20 of each metallic member 11 are so arrangedrelative to the top surface of the cross members 13 thereof that theupper surfaces 26 of the wooden members 12 are iiush with the topsurfaces of the cross members 13 when the wooden members 12 rest on theshelf portion 20 in the manner illustrated in FIGURE 1, whereby thecargo supporting surface 13 of the supporting structure 10 issubstantially flat.

The wooden members 12 are adapted to be secured to the metallic members11 by threaded fastening members escasasv 3, 27 passing through thelshelf portions 2@ and into the undersurfaces of the Wooden members 12,the Wooden members 12 being secured to the shelf portions Ztl byreaching between the adjacent frame members 15.

Therefore, it can be seen that the floor construction l@ can belassembled together in a relatively simple and nontime-consuming mannerto provide a cargo supporting Ysurface 13 which is readily adaptable tohave cargo arrestlthe floor construction l@ is relatively less and theinsulation characteristics thereof are greater than if the same had beenformed entirely of metallic material.

Another supporting structure .of this invention is generally indicatedby the reference numeral 2S in FIGURE 3 and comprises a plurality ofmetallic membens 29 and wooden members 3d, the wooden members 30 eachbeing formed from a pair of wooden elements 3l and 32 in the mannerhereinafter described.

The supporting structure 28 of this invention is adapted to be securedto a sub-Hoor 14A of a trailer or the like in the manner previouslydescribed, the sub-floor 14A comprising a plurality of longitudinallydisposed and spaced frame members 15A.

While lthe members 29 of this invention can be formed in any suitablemanner and of any suitable material, the embodiment thereof illustratedin the drawings is formed 'by extruding metallic material, such asaluminum-containmember 34 and extends inwardly from the adjacent end ofthe cross member 34, each portion 36 being interconnected to a lowerportion 37 which is substantially rperpendicularly disposed relativestothe cross member 34.

An outwardly extending shelf portion 33 is integrally formed on each leg3S of each metallic member 29, the shelf portion 38 joining the leg 35at the juncture between the portions 36 and 37 thereof and beingdisposed intermediate the opposed top and bottom 39 and 40 of itsrespective leg 35 for a purpose hereinafter described.

A mounting or supporting flange .41`is medially joined to the free edge4% of each leg 35 of each metallic mem` ber 39.

Therefore, it can be seen that the metallic members 29 can be formed ina relatively simple manner by merely extruding stock from the apparatus33 and cutting the 'stock into the desired lengths.

When it is desired to form the supporting structure or iloorconstruction 28 illustratedl in FIGURE 3, a plural-ity of metallicmembers 29 are arranged in spaced relation on the sub-floor 14A and aresecured thereto by a plurality of bolt means 42 passing respectivelythrough the framing members 15A and the mounting anges 41 of themetallic members 29.

The metallic members 29 'are soconstructed and arranged that theadjacent shelf portions 38 thereof -cooperate together to define anoutwardly facingchannel t3 between adjacent metallicmembers 29, thechannels 43 each having a substantially*trapezoidal cross-sectionalcontiguration for a purpose hereinafter described,

The adjacent ends 39 of the adjacent legs 35 of adjacent metallicmembers 29 define an opening 44 to the respective channel 43, theopening 44 having a width substantially smaller than the Width of thechannel 43 at the shelf portions 38 thereof. Y

'-sides.

The wooden members 3d are subsequently disposed in the channels 43 ofthe adjacent metallic members 29 to complete the supporting structure23m the manner illustrated in FGURE 3.

In particular, the wooden element 3ft-0f each Wooden member 3i? has asubstantially trapezoidal cross-sectional configuration as illustratedin FIGURE 5 and is substantially smaller than the trapezoidal channel t3whereby they wooden element 3i is adapted tobe readily inserted in theopening ift of a particular channel 43 in the manner illustrated inFIGURE 5 and be subsequently pushed against one of the legs m the mannerillustrated in FGURE 6 to define a part channel 4S having parallel Thewooden element 32 of each wooden memberrv@ has a cross-sectionalconfiguration similar to aparallelogram and is adapted to beinsertedsubstantially vertically downwardly into the remaining channel45 in the manner illustrated in FIGURES 6 and 7 to completely iill thechannel 43. Y Y v Subsequently, fastening members 4216, such as nails orthe like, are utilizedto fasten together the wooden elements 31 and 32whenthe same are fully disposed in a particular channel 43" to form. thewoodenmem'ber 30 having a trapezoidalcross-sectional configuration thatcompletely iills the channels 4.3whereby the wooden members 39 arecompletely interlocked, in the channels 43 and cannot be removed withoutseparating the wooden elements 3l. and 32 thereof.

In lthis manner, the upper surfaces 47; of the wooden members 36 aredisposed flush with the upper surfaces 48 of the metallic members 29 todene a at cargo supporting surface Stlrof the oor construction 28.

Accordingly, cargo and the V'like can be readily disposed on the uppersurface Si) of the supporting structure 23 and can `bearrested byarresting blocks or the like placed on the supporting surface 50 andnailed to the Wooden members 3@ in the manner previously described.

YVTherefore, it can be seen that the supporting structures kof thisinvention are readily adaptable for forming the floor constructions forbulk containers, trailers, railroad freight cars, and the like in arelatively simple manner whereby each oor construction comprises acombination `of metallic and wooden members to readily permit arrestingblocks to be secured thereto Vand to solve; the dunnage problem. c c

Further, the composite supporting structures of this Iinvention providegreater insulation than provided by all metallic supporting structuresand are'lcss expensive than all metallic supporting structures.

Accordingly, this inventionl provides improved support- -ingstructures-as well as improved parts forA such supporting structures orthe like.

While' the form of the invention now preferred has been disclosed asrequired by the statutes, other forms may be used, all coming withinlthe scope of the claim which follows. Y

What is claimed isi Afsupporting structure'having opposed surfaces andcomprising 'a plurality of spaced metallic members respectively'havingopposed top and bottom edges respective- ,ly deiining part of saidopposed lsurfaces,eachmetallic member having a substantiallyU-shapedzcross sectional configuration defined by a -crossmember formingr'part of one of said surfaces and d-eiinedV by'a pair of legs, each leg`of each metallicmember having an outwardly extending shelf portionextending toward. a shelf portion of an Yadjacent-metallic member andbeing disposed intermediate Athe top and bottom edgesof the respectivemetallic memtions, each leg of each metallic member having a port-ionthereof disposed closed to a like portion of an adjacent metallic memberat the cross member thereof than at the shelf portion thereof to definea reduced opening to its respective channel, each Wooden memberincluding a pair of Wooden elements, one of said elements of each Woodenmember having a trapezoidal crossesectional configuration and beingreceivable through said opening of one of said channels, the other ofsaid elements being insertable in said opening after said one element tofill said channel, and means securing said elements together in saidchan-nel.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,214,547 9/ 40Bonsall. 2,256,037 9/41` Reid 296-28 2,307,149 1/43 Milz et a1.3,080,021 3/63` Muir.

FOREIGN PATENTS 771,298 3/57 Great Britain. 834,438 5/60 Great Britain.

A. HARRY LEVY, Primary Examiner.

